The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-05-04
A RAILWAY KING GONE.
Death of President Mitchell, OF
the St. Paul Road.
Career of a Banker, Railway Man.
ager and Politician.

Alexander Mitchell President of the Chi
cago, Milwaukee and St Paul Railroad Com
pany, and reputed to be the financial monarch
Of the Northwest, died Of pneumonia at the
Hoffman House in New York on Tuesday
after very brief illness. Mr. Mitchell
had been spending the winter months with
Mrs. Mitchell, at their elegant residence,
Villa A1exandri, near Jacksonville, Florida,
whittier they went, because Of Mrs Mitchell's
health, in December last. Mr.. Mitchell left
bis wife in Florida little more than two
weeks ago and came North in response to bus
iness calls. He travelled in his own private
car, accompanied only by a servant, and ar
rived i'll New York in perfect health and
vigor. -,
like climate Of Florida to the capricious ami
frequently cold and stormy weather which
has prevailed in New York was quickly felt
by Mr.. Mitchell. who soon contracted
troublesome cold. But he gave the
ailment no serious thought until at
last he felt so prostrated that he
summoned medical aid, and DR.. E. II. Bradley
prescribed for him. Not experiencing prompt
relief. and DR.. Bradley himself detecting
alarming symptoms, Mr.. Mitchells family
physician, Dr.. Mackie, Of Milwaukee, was
summoned by telegraph.
John L. Mitchell, the only son Of the inva-
lid, and his wife, were also at the hotel in
constant attendance beside the sick bed. At
ter DR.. Mackie's arrival the patient seemed to
improve, and neither the physicians nor family
entertained any apprehensions OF serious re-
suit He was, however a very sick man, but per-
fectly conscious and tractable. His condition
remained unchanged and without alarming
symptoms until within three hours Of his
death, when an unfavorable turn developed
ITSELF defying the skill Of the physicians and
he gradually and rapidly sank until his death
at the hour named. He remained con-
scious to the end, fully recognizing his son
and daughter-in-law, as well as the physicians,
conversing with them until too feeble and
exhausted to articulate further. His end was
peaceful and easy, and he was apparently
quite resigned to it.
Immediately after death the body was en-
balmed and forwarded to Milwaukee in Mr..
Mitchell's special car.
Mr.. Mitchell was born in the parish Of FL
lon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, October IS,
1917. His father was farmer While yet
in his teens he essayed the study Of law in
Aberdeen. This did not suit his taste,
and he soon abandoned it to enter a
banking house in Peterhead. His abil-
tiles and natural adaptedness to financial
affairs attracted the attention of Mr.. George
Smith, the then famous Chicago banker, but
native Of Aberdeenshire, who induced him
to come to this country in 1889, and placed
him in charge of the Wisconsin Marine and
Fire Insurance Company at Milwaukee, which
was practically owned by Mr. Smith, and
was in reality branch of his Chicago bank
ing house. The insurance company had
banking privileges, but no authority to issue
bank notes
But Mr.. Mitchell was more widely known
as railroad man. The earlier Wisconsin
railroads had been organized by small and
weak companies, and in 1863 were in gen.
eral state of bankruptcy. Mr. Mitchell then
stepped in, and backed by the bondholders of
these feeble concerns, merged the whole
of them into one corporation known
which he was made President. In 1874
the Chicago and Milwaukee road was consoli-
dated with the combination, which then be-
came the Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul,
which, under Mitchells Presidency, quickly
became the strong and powerful corporation
, it now is, and of which he retained the Presi
dency until his death.
Mr.. Mitchell was an old Wing, but support
ed Lincoln during the war; then became an
admirer Of Andrew Johnson, graduating as
decided Democrat. In 1870, and again in
1872, he represented the Milwaukee district in
Congress. In 1876 he was a delegate to the
st. Louis Convention, where he took all ac-
tive part in the nomination of Sam
uel j. Tilden for President. Long be-
fore this Mr.. Tilden had met Mr..
Mitchell, and formed high opinion Of
his financial ability and business worth. 1t
was current gossip at the time that in case
Mr. Tilden had taken his seat, the Western
banker would have been made Secretary of
the Treasury. Mr.. Mitchell had never since
actively participated inpoitics.~
Mr. Mitchell was married in 1S41 to Miss
Martha Reed. who survives him, and by
whom he has had six children, Of whom
only one son, John L., who was born
in 1913, survives. The wife Of DR.. Mackie,
Of Milwaukee, is his adopted daughter.
His estate is variously estimated at
from 15,OOO, 900 to So, 200, 600. It consists
largely of securities of various kinds, as, out
side his magnificent residence on Grand ave
nue., Milwaukee, the Chamber Of Commerce
and Mitchell Bank buildings in the same city,
be has comparatively small landed posses